Charles Piutau has called on Ulster to win for under pressure coach Les Kiss as they prepare for their New Year's Day clash with Munster.

The province's star signing is expected to be back in the starting side, which is named later today, after missing out on the dismal end to 2017 when Connacht hammered Kiss's side 44-16 just before Christmas.

That abject six-try defeat has turned the heat up on Kiss despite the fact that the province had put together five games without losing prior to the trip to Galway.

"We want to do it for Les," the 26-year-old All Black said.

"It means a lot to us and he does a lot for this club and hopefully come Monday we can make everyone proud," added the player who will leave Ulster at season's end to join big-spending Bristol.

Getting a result against Munster at a sold-out Kingspan Stadium is now the priority as Ulster enter 2018 with a critical block of games including two interpro derbies and the same number of season-defining games in Europe.

“We are one team, both management and coaches and we want to build for each other as do the players who played last week,” said Piutau. Kiss has already vowed that Ulster will produce a reaction to the record humbling handed out at Connacht and now Piutau has added his voice to what the, admittedly, injury-hit squad intend to do on Monday against their inter-provincial rivals.

The province will also be without Ireland front-liners Iain Henderson and Jacob Stockdale who are both rested for what promises to be a sizzling start to action in 2018.